On a walk close to Samariterviertel, you’ll come across the name Neumanns three times. It all started with bread. Like many of us, Dirk, the founder of Neumanns, grew up with the traditional German “Abendbrot”. Back then, in his home town of Dresden, there were five bakeries in the neighborhood – each family member had their own favorite bread, and so every evening became a little competition between them. But regardless of whether they agreed or argued about flavors, crust or airiness, bread united the family back then in its own special way… And this is Neumanns’ mission today. Next to the bakery is Neumanns “Um die Ecke” and right next door is the café that started it all. What makes it special? Everything you get here is made with sourdough. Two different sourdough starters are used for the breads, a 100 percent hydrated wholemeal rye sourdough and a 65 percent hydrated wheat sourdough. The rye sourdough gives the bread a characteristically sour taste, while the wheat sourdough produces a neutral, slightly milky flavor. There is something for everyone at the bakery’s counter. In addition to the house bread and wholemeal bread, there are baguettes, focaccia and the popular potato bread rolls. Of course, many people come for the sweet baked goods. These take a lot of practice and skill to make when using sourdough. If you want to see the team’s skills for yourself, try the pistachio and pumpkin seed croissant – my favorite – followed by the raspberry and lemon croissant and the cinnamon buns. Savory pastries, such as the bacon twister or the mushroom croissant, are also just waiting to be tried. You can enjoy everything in the bakery on the spot with a coffee or fresh juice.
Text: Robyn Steffen / Photos: Wioletta Piotrowska & Alexander Haas
Neumanns Bäckerei, Weichselstr.32, 10247 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
@neumanns.berlin
